A focused GDPR audit shows you where your compliance gaps are, ranks them by risk, and gives you a roadmap to fix what matters first.

What you get:

  • A prioritized gap assessment with clear severity levels
  • Data mapping and RoPA reviewed against what you actually do
  • DSAR, breach response, and consent readiness checked

Key takeaways

  • A GDPR audit shows where your compliance gaps are and ranks them by risk.
  • It produces a prioritized roadmap to fix what matters first.
  • Scope and pricing are set to your situation.

Why companies need a GDPR audit

Most tech companies have some privacy documentation. The problem is they don’t know what’s missing until a customer asks for it, an investor questions it, or a regulator comes knocking.

A GDPR audit answers the question: where are we actually at, and what do we need to fix first?

We’ve run privacy audits for 100+ organizations, from 5-person startups to Fortune 10 and Fortune 500 companies. The patterns are consistent. Most companies overestimate their compliance and underestimate the gaps that matter most commercially.

For a quick self-check before a full audit, start with our GDPR readiness checklist. A GDPR audit is one part of our broader data privacy solutions.

What does a GDPR audit cover?

Data inventory and mapping: what personal data you collect, where it goes, who processes it, and what legal basis applies for each activity.

Documentation review: privacy policies, cookie notices, DPAs, RoPA, DPIAs, breach response plans, data subject request processes. We check what exists, what’s missing, and what’s outdated.

Vendor and sub-processor assessment: who has access to your data, whether DPAs are in place, and whether your vendor risk management is adequate.

Technical controls review: access controls, encryption, retention practices, data minimization, logging. We assess whether your technical measures match your documented policies.

Cross-border data transfers: whether your international data transfers have appropriate safeguards (SCCs, TIAs, adequacy decisions).

Cookie and consent compliance: whether your consent mechanisms meet GDPR and ePrivacy requirements.

AI and automated processing: if applicable, whether AI/ML features have appropriate DPIAs, transparency documentation, and EU AI Act readiness.

What you get

A prioritized gap report with clear severity levels (critical, high, medium, low). Not a 200-page document nobody reads. A practical roadmap you can act on immediately.

Typical deliverables include a compliance maturity scorecard, prioritized remediation plan, estimated timeline and resource requirements for each gap, and a recommended phasing (what to fix now vs what can wait).

How much does a GDPR audit cost?

Most GDPR audits for tech companies complete in 2-3 weeks (though you can get this done in 2-3 days with Engage). The scope depends on your company size, data complexity, and how many jurisdictions you operate in.

Audit pricing is project-based and scoped individually. Many companies combine the audit with ongoing DPO services, starting From €1,000 per month after the initial audit.

  • Same-business-day response
  • Professional indemnity and cyber insurance
  • Named DPO notified to the supervisory authority

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How is this different from a SOC 2 audit?

A SOC 2 audit assesses security controls against AICPA Trust Services Criteria. A GDPR audit assesses privacy compliance against GDPR requirements. They overlap in areas like access controls and data security, but GDPR covers legal basis, data subject rights, consent, DPIAs, and regulatory obligations that SOC 2 doesn't touch. Many companies need both.

Do we need an audit before appointing a DPO?

Not necessarily, but most companies find it valuable to start with an audit. It gives both you and your new DPO a clear picture of where things stand. Most of our DPO Foundation engagements include an audit in Month 1.

What if we've already done some GDPR work internally?

That's common and helpful. We build on what you have rather than starting from scratch. The audit identifies what's solid, what needs updating, and what's missing entirely.

Can you audit our AI/ML features for EU AI Act compliance?

Yes. We include AI risk classification and governance assessment as part of the audit when applicable. This covers EU AI Act readiness alongside GDPR requirements for automated processing.

How do you handle multi-jurisdictional audits?

We cover 30+ regulations from a single point of contact. If your audit needs to cover GDPR plus CCPA, HIPAA, or other frameworks, we scope that upfront and assess against all applicable requirements in a single engagement, with local counsel support where jurisdiction-specific legal advice is required.